Jerry Jones breaks silence on 'getting in trouble' after controversial CeeDee Lamb deal comments

CeeDee Lamb has been holding out, hoping for an extension on his rookie deal. However, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones was targeted for his lack of urgency in signing the wide receiver. Jones has now attempted to take back his words in his own way.

Jones was back in front of a camera and microphone as the Dallas Cowboys prepared to play their first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. This time around, the 81-year-old clarified his old comments.

"I think I got in trouble with the other day when I said, 'Look, we're not urgent about CeeDee,'" Jones said. "Well, no one appreciates CD being on the field any more than I do, but let me say this, he wouldn't be taking a snap out here today if he'd been here."

The Cowboys owner suggested that the preseason games should be an opportunity for younger players to show their mark and not “expose” players of Lamb’s quality.

“The bottom line is no, there's not that urgency,” Jones added. “Now I understand completely the angst that's happening when you are anxious and someone says anything about whether you're missed or not.

"Well, CeeDee, ‘You're missed, okay, but you're not missed out here competing.’ And it doesn't put any pressure, any place on us, it's not pressure out here today."

The Cowboys owner has, through his words, tried to calm the fans. However, the essence remains that the WR is still not practicing with the team, with less than a month remaining before the regular season starts.

Dan Orlovsky takes shot at Jerry Jones' "no urgency" comments concerning CeeDee Lamb

The Cowboys have dug themselves a hole by delaying the matter of CeeDee Lamb’s negotiations down the road. On ESPN’s "Pat McAfee Show," former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky suggested this would hurt the team's playoff chances.

"Without CeeDee Lamb, there's no shot. CeeDee Lamb wants a new contract, and it certainly doesn't feel like it right now, to Jerry's words, ‘no urgency.’ If CeeDee holds out for two games when you're a fringe playoff team, that matters big time,” Orlovsky said.

Only time will tell whether this delay in tying up loose ends will hurt the Cowboys later in the season.